Navigating pre-med requirements can feel overwhelming — every school seems to have its own list. We'll break down the common thread across programs, highlight what top schools expect, and help you plan your course load strategically.
Each medical school may have slightly varying course requirements, but they generally include these courses:
Required Course
Credit Hours & Lab Requirements
Why Medical Schools Require These Courses
Biology
1 year (with lab experience)
An understanding of biological concepts is critical for medical school. Medical science has biology at its core. Specific areas of biology highly beneficial to furthering your medical education are genetics, anatomy, and evolution.
General Chemistry
1 year (with lab experience)
General chemistry builds the foundation for understanding how substances interact in the human body. It's also essential preparation for organic chemistry and biochemistry, both of which are central to your medical education.
Organic Chemistry
1 year (with lab experience)
Organic chemistry helps you understand how medications work in the human body and is essential to your medical education. You’ll also need to understand biochemistry.
Physics
1 year (with lab experience)
The laws of physics are ever-present in the human body, so an understanding is necessary for a medical degree. For example, cardiology often applies the rules of pressure and volume.
Biochemistry
1 year
Biochemistry bridges biology and chemistry at the molecular level, covering topics like metabolism, enzyme activity, and cellular processes. These concepts are core to medical school coursework and are among the most heavily tested subjects on the MCAT.
Math
1 year
From understanding lab results to determining proper doses, a physician often uses basic math daily. Medical schools generally require calculus, statistics, or at least one semester of general math.
English or writing
1 year
Most schools request English proficiency or an English language proficiency test.
Course prerequisites for pre-med are pretty standard across the board. You'll have to complete a year's worth of challenging courses in biology, general (inorganic) chemistry, organic chemistry, physics, and their associated lab work. You may also be asked to take calculus, statistics, psychology, or writing.
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Our Recommended Additional Courses for Pre-Meds That Aren’t Required by Medical Schools
Although you’re not required to take the following courses, familiarity with the subject matter is valuable for a future career in medicine. You’ll be more prepared for the concepts you might face on the MCAT or as a doctor. Plus, these courses look good on med school applications!
Some of our recommended courses include:
Anatomy & Physiology
Humanities
Genetics
Ethics
Computer Science
Psychology
Sociology
Statistics
Calculus
Public Health
Balancing these with your required coursework isn't always straightforward. Between managing a demanding science course load, preparing for the MCAT, and keeping your GPA competitive, it's easy to feel like there aren't enough hours in the day.
That's where our experts come in. Our consultants, who are former admissions officers at the top med schools in the US, can help you build a course plan that checks every box without burning you out. Whether you're unsure which electives to prioritize or need help structuring your schedule across all four years, our medical school admissions consulting team is here to help you put your best application forward.
Do Medical Schools Value Non-Science Pre-Med Courses?
Medical schools look for applicants who can think beyond biology and chemistry. They assess whether you can communicate with diverse patients, navigate complex systems, and understand medicine as both a profession and a service industry. Taking non-science coursework helps you demonstrate these competencies clearly and intentionally.
Sunjay Letchuman, a medical student at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai and an Inspira Advantage consultant, emphasized the value of taking non-science courses:
“I see healthcare as a huge business… studying business, accounting, and finance helped me understand the business of healthcare… I took The Business of Healthcare and talked about it in my interview… I definitely recommend not just majoring in sciences unless that’s what you absolutely want to study.”
Taking courses outside the traditional pre-med track, such as psychology, sociology, business, ethics, or healthcare policy, can strengthen your application by giving you stronger interview talking points and a clearer understanding of how medicine functions beyond the classroom.
These non-science courses also help demonstrate maturity, perspective, and readiness for modern medical practice, all of which admissions committees actively look for.
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Ideal Timeline for Completing Medical School Prerequisite Courses
The ideal timeline for medical school prerequisite courses is at least two years, as it usually gives you enough time to complete all courses before applying to medical school.
This timeline also allows you to meet varying school requirements while balancing grades, MCAT preparation, and other application components.
Beyond prerequisites, this time frame should also include time for:
Gaining clinical experience
Gaining research experience
Gaining volunteering experience
Gathering letters of recommendation
MCAT prep
While many universities allow up to five courses per semester, prerequisite science courses are demanding, so spacing them out can help you maintain strong academic performance while preparing for the MCAT.
This approach is reinforced by medical school admissions experts. Dr. Bima Hasjim, a former UC Irvine admissions officer and current admissions officer, emphasizes that the best way to prepare for med school and the MCAT is to complete most of your prerequisites by the end of your junior year.
Completing prerequisites by the end of junior year ensures that core science material is fresh when you take the MCAT, reducing the need for relearning content while studying. It also keeps your senior year flexible for interviews, secondary applications, and strengthening other areas of your profile.
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Example Pre-Med Course Requirements at Top-20 Medical Schools
Below is an overview of prerequisite expectations at 20 leading U.S. medical schools.
No prerequisites (recommended: inorganic chemistry, organic chemistry, biochemistry with lab; biology with lab; physics with lab; statistics; genetics; English)
Biology with lab; Chemistry (including at least one semester organic chemistry with lab); Biochemistry; Physics
1 year biology with lab, 1 year chemistry with lab (including at least 1 semester organic with lab), at least 1 biochemistry course, at least 1 physics course
Feinberg lists two semesters/three quarters, lecture and associated lab for Bio, Physics, Inorganic Chem, and Organic Chem/Biochem (with guidance that a split organic + biochem path is acceptable, with associated labs)
Completion of 90 credit hours (AMCAS methodology) prior to matriculation (Pritzker focuses on preparation/competencies rather than a strict prereq list)
90 credit hours required (not a prereq course list)
Biology; General Chemistry; Physics; Organic Chemistry; Writing-intensive coursework
Weill Cornell specifies 2 semesters each of Bio, Gen Chem, Physics, Org Chem, plus lab expectations framed as 1 semester of lab or equivalent lab experience for Bio, Gen Chem, Physics, Org Chem
No specific course requirements (Spanish and statistics recommended)
No required credit hours or lab requirements
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FAQs
Can I Apply to Medical School Without Completing All Prerequisites?
Yes, you can apply to medical school without completing all prerequisites. Many medical schools allow you to apply before completing classes, as long as you will finish the remaining requirements before matriculation. However, missing prerequisites can limit which schools you are eligible for, and incomplete coursework may weaken your application if key sciences are still in progress.
Are there Any Medical Schools That Have No Set Coursework Requirements?
Yes, there are several medical schools that offer a flexible course-choice approach, welcoming applicants without strict prerequisite demands, including:
California University of Science and Medicine School of Medicine (CUSM-SOM)
University of Southern California Keck School of Medicine
Stanford Medical School
University of Cincinnati College of Medicine
West Virginia University School of Medicine
New York University Grossman School of Medicine (NYU)
Mayo Clinic Alix School of Medicine
Duke University School of Medicine
Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania
Vanderbilt University School of Medicine
University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine
However, please note that these medical schools will often assess your demonstrated competencies in areas such as biology, chemistry, physics, biochemistry, and mathematics rather than prescribed coursework. So, we recommend that you balance your course load with a mixture of science and non-science classes.
Can You Retake the Required Classes for Medical School?
Yes, you can retake medical school prerequisite courses if necessary. However, medical schools vary in how they view retakes. Some schools average grades, others replace them, and repeated retakes can raise concerns about academic readiness. Retakes are generally best used to fix a clear weakness rather than to marginally improve an already acceptable grade.
How Many Prerequisites Do I Need for Medical School?
The number of prerequisites you need for medical school will depend on several factors. But most medical schools expect at least one year each of biology, general chemistry, organic chemistry, and physics, typically with labs, plus coursework in English and math. This core sequence covers the foundational knowledge needed for medical school and the MCAT.
How Long Do Medical School Prerequisites Take to Complete?
Med school prerequisites typically take two years to complete if taken sequentially, with some subjects requiring multiple semesters. Many students spread these courses across their undergraduate years to balance workload, maintain strong grades, and allow time for MCAT preparation and extracurricular activities.
Is Biochemistry Required for Medical School?
Biochemistry is not universally required for med school, but it is commonly recommended and heavily tested on the MCAT. Because biochemistry is foundational to many medical school courses, completing it before applying is strongly advised, even if a school does not list it as a requirement.
Is Anatomy Required for Medical School?
Anatomy is rarely required as a pre-medical prerequisite. Most medical schools teach anatomy during the MD curriculum. However, taking anatomy as an undergraduate can be helpful and may strengthen your preparation, especially for applicants interested in clinically oriented programs.
Arush Chandna is the Co-Founder of Inspira Advantage and a nationally recognized expert on graduate school admissions. Arush has used his 12+ years of experience in higher education to help 10,000 applicants get into their dream graduate programs.
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